Newsletter - Golden Gate Computer Society

Newsletter
An all-volunteer 501(c)(3)
Non-Profit Educational Organization
In This Issue
2Membership
3 Jan. GM: Quicken
updates
5 Lighting your photos
7 Making PDFs
9 10 tips for safe online
shopping
10Cartoons
11Google app class
12Special Interest Groups
13Calendar
14Member discounts
15Member contact info
New weekday and location
for February through March
2015 GMs:
First Presbyterian Church
of San Rafael (The Sanctuary)
1510 5th Ave., San Rafael—
Fourth Wednesdays
GGCS Mission
GGCS provides a congenial
forum for people interested
in computers to gather and
share information.
We strive to be a resource
that serves the needs and
interests of people at all
skill levels.
Feb. 2015
Vol. 34, No. 2
Making your home network come together
E
very so often home networks grow. Maybe it’s when you decide to get a
network printer so you can print from upstairs and downstairs. Maybe
you get a smart TV, a Roku, or an AV receiver, and they all want to be on the
Internet. Or maybe you get a tablet but your bedroom is out of signal range.
Three GGCS gurus, John King,
GGCS Welcomes
James Gafford, and Steve Shank,
John
King, James Gafford
will help you proceed. At February’s
& Steve Shank
General Meeting they will cover:
Intermediate Home Networking
• Extending a network using an
——
access point.
New Temporary Location:
The Sanctuary at the First Presbyterian
• Extending a wireless network
Church of San Rafael
using a repeater.
1510 5th Avenue, San Rafael
• Extending a network using house
7:15 p.m., Wed., Feb. 25, 2015
electrical wiring.
• Common terms and concepts
explained: IP address, subnet
mask, default gateway, routers,
access points, bridges.
——
General Meeting preceded at 6 p.m.
by John King’s
“Backing up? Why? Learn why not!”
• What is port forwarding and a DMZ, and why use them?
• What’s new (AC routers) and common configuration settings explained.
• Use of IPCONFIG and other commands.
• What is DHCP and what’s the alternative?
Backing up? Why? Learn why not!
D
o you really need to back up your computer’s information? And if you do
need to, how often do you need to? And how do you determine the best
way to do it?
GGCS’ John King will lead a free hour-long class about backing up your
computer before February’s General Meeting. Just come to The Sanctuary
at the First Presbyterian Church of San Rafael at 6 p.m., Wednesday,
February 25, to learn more basics of using your computer.
We seek to make a positive
contribution to the society
around us by making the
benefits of computer technol- John leads a rotating set of eight classes before each month’s General Meeting.
ogy accessible to everyone.
For more information, see www.ggcs.org/intro-class.
Feb. 2015 1 www. ggcs.org
GOLDEN GATE COMPUTER SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER
Editor & Designer: Chris Johnson
Contributing Editors: Sandy Berger,
Babette Bloch, Ernie Ganas, Mike
Hancock, Sherry Weber
Proofreaders: Babette Bloch, Russ
Flaum, Mike Hancock, Joe Lavigne, Heinz
Scheuenstuhl, Steve Shank
Circulation: Cathy Scheiser, Steve Shank
Advertising Mgr.: Mike Hancock
Submissions: All material is to be submitted in electronic form, preferably in MS
Word. Text, photos, and graphics must be
submitted as separate files. Please send
finished product as attached files with
your email message to: [email protected].
Deadline is the fourth Monday of the
month for the following month’s issue.
GOLDEN GATE COMPUTER SOCIETY (ISSN
1550-7246) is published monthly for $16
per year by The Golden Gate Computer
Society, 116 Jewell Court, San Rafael, CA
94901. Periodicals Postage Paid at San
Rafael, CA.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:
GOLDEN GATE COMPUTER SOCIETY
P.O. Box 151696
San Rafael, CA 94915-1696
Copyright ©2015 Golden Gate Computer
Society, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission
is granted to other computer users groups
for reproduction in whole or in part for
internal, non-profit use provided that credit
is given to the Golden Gate Computer Society and to the authors of the reproduced
materials. All other reproduction without
the prior written consent of the Golden
Gate Computer Society, Inc. is prohibited.
This notice does not supersede the rights
of the authors whose copyrighted material
is used by permission.
Disclaimer: The information provided in
the newsletter is believed and intended
to be correct and useful; however, the
Golden Gate Computer Society, newsletter
staff, steering committee, and contributors
assume no liability for damages arising
out of the publication or use of any material contained herein and cannot assume
responsibility for the consequences of
errors contained in the articles or misapplications of the information provided.
Find answers to your questions
GGCS members volunteer to assist other members who have questions
regarding software and hardware questions. Whether you are setting
up an Internet connection, installing an operating system, or tackling
a new project in Microsoft Office, someone in the group likely can help.
Call (415) 454-5556; email [email protected].
Join GGCS or renew your membership
Your membership entitles you to an array of products and services,
including:
• Newsletter
• Free classes and SIG meetings
• Discounted hardware and software
Membership is $48 per year, of which $16 is for a one-year subscription
to the Golden Gate Computer Society Newsletter. An introductory sixmonth membership is $30, of which $8 is for a six-month subscription to
the newsletter. Gift certificates are available.
If you have questions about your membership, e-mail Heinz Scheuenstuhl at [email protected]. All members and non-members are
welcome to attend the General Meeting or to attend the many classes
offered. Non-members will be charged $10 per class and $5 per SIG
meeting. Members can pick up a membership card at any General Meeting.
To join or renew, send your check to:
Golden Gate Computer Society
P.O. Box 151696
San Rafael, CA 94915-1696
Membership Application
 First Time  Renewal
Name:
Address:
City:State:Zip:
Email:
Phone:
How did you hear about the GGCS?
Member Friend Store Web Other:
What level are your computer skills?
 Beginner Intermediate Expert
 Please send me a weekly e-mail announcement covering
upcoming GGCS events.
Feb. 2015 2 www. ggcs.org
January’s General Meeting
Updated GGCS website, Quicken updates
B
The new result: a User-Centered Design. This
approach includes Beta-testing by customers before
programming. At this point, several GGCS member
indicated that they were Beta testers. The versions
of Quicken for Windows are Starter, Deluxe,
Premier, Home and Business, and Rental Property;
see quicken.com for costs and detailed info.
efore the main speaker of January’s General
Meeting, Tom Schiff, our website designer,
gave us an overview of the new GGCS website and
observed:
• The more the website is accessed, the more it
will appear in searches.
• The website calendar is the “Bible.”
What’s new in Quicken for Windows? Planning
aspects include short-term
checking of expenditure, and
if many accounts involved,
tracking cash flows. In the latter
respect, Quicken now connects
to 14,500 financial institutions
that will download data to
Quicken.
• The website list
of contacts is the
“Bible.”
• SIG leaders are
responsible for
updating the
calendar.
• The two main menu
options are:
A calendar shows what
transactions took place on a
specific day. In addition it now
includes a Lifetime Finance
projection for long-term
planning.
—The Calendar
—The Week
Quicken talk turns into
Q&A
Also for the Windows version
of Quicken are Quarterly
Jeff Parker, Principal
free Credit Score reports from
Interaction Designer
One of Quicken’s lead designers, Jeff, stayed well after
Equifax and associated Credit
at Intuit and a lead
the meeting to help individuals with their questions
Monitoring.
Quicken is careful
and problems.
designer for Quicken,
to encrypt data, with Social
covered
Security
numbers
held
only by Equifax. A new
four topics:
Portfolio X-Ray feature (in Premier and up) is based
• What is Quicken?
on Morningstar reports and includes analysis,
regional exposure data, and alerts regarding high
• Different versions of Quicken
concentrations. This feature applies even with one
mutual fund, reflecting funds’ holdings.
• What’s new in Quicken 2015?
• Q & A
At this point, the numerous questions that had
accompanied the presentation grew into a relative
torrent, and our allotted time in the hall was
quickly expiring.
Jeff noted, however, that he preferred an interactive
presentation, with Q & A; it transpired that his
preference was fully realized.
The 2015 Quicken for Mac, about which numerous
queries were directed, is a new product; the first
new Mac release in over 4 years. Jeff demonstrated
the various features.
The old way of Interaction Design, Jeff said, was to
do market research, establish product requirements,
do the programming, and finalize software. The
new way is to do market research, do user research,
establish product requirements, do interaction
design, and then the programming.
Feb. 2015 (Website & Quicken, cont. on page 4)
3 www. ggcs.org
Website & Quicken, cont. from page 3
The Mac version is vastly different
from the Windows version and includes
monthly updates. Jeff showed a chart
that displayed the differences in features
between the Windows and Mac versions.
The Mac version also has a community on
the web to assist with queries because it
has no manual in print or online.
Many exasperated queries were associated
with the difficulty of communicating with
Intuit/Quicken Support services, including
finding human contact who spoke/
understood English properly, and with
computerized chats.
—By Mike Hancock, GGCS
Our temporary home for the General Meetings (through March) is The
Sanctuary at the First Presbyterian Church in San Rafael.
(Photos by Barbara Hansen, GGCS)
LEFT: GGCS members and speakers find Whippersnapper on 4th Street in San Rafael a tasty
place to enjoy Caribbean tapas before the General Meeting.
GGCS is now on Twitter
and Facebook!
www.facebook.com/
goldengatecomputersociety
& www.twitter.com/@ggcsorg
Renew Computers
- Free TV and Computer Recycling
- Laptop Repair - PC and Mac
- Microsoft Registered Refurbisher
446 Dubois St. at Andersen Drive, San Rafael 94901
(415) 457-8801
www.renewcomputers.com
Authorized California e-waste collector certificate # 100888
Serving Marin County for 25 years
Feb. 2015 4 www. ggcs.org
Shedding a light on photography lighting
any style of photography. Lighting is one of the
most important components of photography and
the authors go into great depth explaining every
aspect of its use in a studio environment. You’ll
learn about:
Video: Lighting Fundamentals for Photographers
By Joe Lavine & Brad Bartholomew
PeachPit Press; $64.99; about 3 hours

• The types of lighting equipment commonly
used in the studio such as tungsten lights,
monolights and strobe packs; and also modifiers
such as soft boxes, reflectors, and grids.
L
ighting Fundamentals for Photographers is
an excellent video and I enjoyed every minute
of it. The presenters, Joe Lavine and Brad
Bartholomew, are two accomplished commercial
studio photographers and instructors.
• The differences between hard light and soft
light.
• How to use lighting to create dimension,
texture, separation, and drama in the shot.
They have previously written a book: Light Right:
Learn How to Create Images, Set Up a Studio and
Launch Your Photography Career (available at
PeachPit Press).
The authors feel that correctly exposing a
photograph during the shot is one
of the most important parts of the
shot, rather than correcting the
image later with post processing.
This video is suitable for serious
amateur photographers and
professional wannabes. Every
photographer who watches it will
learn something about lighting they
didn’t know before.
They also explain the difference
between incident and reflective
light metering and using the
histogram to determine the correct
exposure instead of working with
the camera’s screen.
The video was easy to download
and use. The authors use a friendly,
conversational style, asking each
other questions the viewer might
ask. Most of their photographic
subjects are interesting still
lifes such as a collection of attic
memorabilia, coffee beans on a
burlap bag, etc.
The authors also discuss what they
called the building process—how to
go through the process of shooting
a still life or portrait. They start
with one type of light and added or subtracted
lights as they go along, modifying them and using
Although the video focuses on studio lighting, you
could use a lot of the information anywhere or for
(Video instruction, cont. on page 6)
Telephone454-6266
454-6066
Telephone
Fax
454-4447
Fax 454-4447
Email [email protected]
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Feb. 2015 5 www. ggcs.org
Video instruction, cont. from page 5
the light to direct the viewers’ attention to what is
most important in the image.
The video’s final chapter details the business of
photography: client expectations, what success
means to them, and setting up a studio (with
$500 or $5,000!). They explain how to set up a
small studio in your garage with little money and
equipment you purchase at the hardware store.
One chapter discusses how to use color to create a
feeling for the image’s message. The authors do a
good job explaining color temperature, how to set
your camera’s white balance, and how both of these
affect the color of the shot. They show how it added
warmth or coolness to the final image.
They also interview another professional
photographer and describe how she started and
where she is today. One of the most important
aspects of shooting that the authors emphasize
throughout the video is experimentation (a.k.a.
creativity).
In one example, they photographed rolls of toilet
paper. They created several images to change the
mood of each photograph by placing colored gels
over the lights or by using a mixture of tungsten
and strobe lights.
No standard formula exists for studio photography.
You can have all the tools and know how to go
through the process, but the rest is up to your
imagination.
They achieve another interesting effect by
“painting” light onto parts of the subject with a
flashlight. They shine the flashlight over areas
they want brighter while exposing the shot.
—By Sherry Weber, GGCS
Want free software
or computer books?
COMPUTER TUTOR
OF MARIN
Just submit a review for the newsletter within
45 days of receiving the software (30 days for
books), and you may keep it to enjoy. For more
information or to request specific software
or books for review, contact Babette Bloch at
[email protected].
Personalized Computer
Assistance & Instruction
in YOUR Home or Office
PC, Mac, iPhone & iPad
GGCS Review Ratings:
Four stars = Extraordinary
Three stars = Excellent
Two stars = Good
One star = Fair
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From computer basics to learning how to
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(415) 897-2302
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www.ComputerTutorOfMarin.com
[email protected]
IN BUSINESS SINCE 2002
Feb. 2015 6 www. ggcs.org
PDF software’s only lack is tech support policy
would have errors in reading the embedded fonts
in the PDF.
Software: Power PDF Advanced V1
Nuance Communications, $149
I initially used the program with my preview copy
of Windows 10 on my laptop (Dell XPS12 with Intel
i7@ 2.1GHZ, 8gb RAM, 256GB SSD) and not only
did it work flawlessly, but it was faster than the
PDF Converter Pro version 8.1 on my desktop with
a 20% faster processor.
System requirements: Pentium 4, Win 7 w/SP1, Win
8.1 32 and 64 Bit; 1GB RAM Rec, 700MB free for install;
Microsoft .NET Framework4.0 installed; IE8 and Web
access for activation

They changed the edit PDF feature in a way that
allows you to only edit a subset of a page rather
than the whole page as a minimum. This process
does require some extra steps, but after thinking
about it, I can understand why they had to do it.
I
have reviewed the PDF Convertor suites since
Version 4 and constantly seem to come to the
same conclusion: There is no point in buying
Adobe Acrobat Professional at four times the price.
In fact, the Power PDF Standard costing about $70
at Amazon is probably all that GGCS users would
ever use.
Realize that when editing a PDF, if it isn’t a
typical computer document, spreadsheet, or access
report that uses common computer fonts, problems
Skimming through other reviews, the biggest
negative comment related to legal firms splitting
out large multi-file PDFs consisting of hundreds or
thousands of documents,
which I doubt many of us
will use.
(Making PDFs, cont. on page 8)
You’ll note that the
title of PDF Converter
has changed to Power
PDF Advanced or
Standard and is titled
Version One. Don’t
let the Version One
identity confuse you!
This program has
been refined since
the mid-2000s, and this is the ninth iteration
of the program. It is the latest refinement,
with an updated Microsoft Office like Ribbon
interface, tighter Paperport OCR and Document
management integration, and a subset of Nuances
Dragon Speaking called Dragon Notes.
58
It excels at the ordinary uses that a small home
office would have for the program; read PDFs,
create PDFs, and convert PDFs to Word or Excel.
If anything, I noticed in trying features that
everything is faster and better. This included
testing a magazine I tried to read that consistently
Feb. 2015 7 www. ggcs.org
Making PDFs, cont. from page 7
can occur with converting the selection to be edited
to the program file format and back into the PDF.
This problem is because when you convert the
PDF to an editable format like Word, it will use
the fonts available on the computer rather than
the embedded fonts in the PDF. For most of the
conversions this problem is small, but I noticed it
when testing some magazine pages.
A handy feature when using the program is the
ability to select a few pages in a large document
such as a magazine and extract it from the PDF
into a separate PDF, while leaving the entire PDF
intact.
Many times when I am looking for reference
material, I’ll use professional journals and find
it difficult to put the article together in one PDF
when the article spans non-contiguous pages. The
extract feature lets me select the non-contiguous
pages and extract them into a single document.
I also noticed that the menu option Reduce File
Size is now Optimize, and it doesn’t seem to be
as effective on large mixed graphic and text files.
With Version 8 the reduction average seemed
much higher—approaching 50% of the original.
Now that has dropped to about 35%, and in some
cases with extensive embedded fonts the reduction
was much less, only about 10%.
The Advanced version is more oriented to corporate
rather than to the Small Office Home Office user,
and I think the Standard version would satisfy
most GGCS members.
For those interested in the differences between the
two versions, use this link to view the differences
between Advanced and Standard versions: http://
www.nuance.com/ucmprod/groups/imaging/@webenus/documents/collateral/nc_031870.pdf.
Having said that, I doubt most of our users will
be trying to reduce January issue of a AOPA Pilot
magazine from 29 MB, but if you were so inclined,
it did reduce the file size by 19%.
Technical Support
When reviewing Ver8 I downgraded the product
from 4 Stars to Three Stars since I felt the tech
support issues were not up to modern standards
i.e. charging you $9.95 for a problem they can’t fix.
Technical Support (not a toll-free call) is provided
free for 90 days only, and after 90 days it is $9.95
for a solution via email and $19.95 for a solution
via telephone. I’m still a little bothered by a
charge for a problem that is a known unresolved
or incompatibility hardware issue or upgrade
requirement.
Although I realize the product support document
that outlines their policy is a boilerplate document
and probably allows the Tech Support person some
leeway, I think it doesn’t show a high degree of
confidence in the product by the publisher. I doubt
they get that many tech support calls and could
easily have free email support while the version is
current without many support calls.
—By Ernie Ganas, GGCS
Feb. 2015 8 www. ggcs.org
10 tips for safe online shopping
S
hopping online can actually be safer than
swiping your card at a local store. Amazingly,
in today’s topsy-turvy world, because of
vulnerabilities in the processing of credit and debit
cards used at retail stores, hackers are focusing on
those vulnerabilities.
establishments seldom offer enough protection
unless the user takes some added precautions,
which can be cumbersome for the average user.
6
Regardless, for safety sake, follow these online
shopping rules:
Create strong passwords consisting of numbers,
letters, and symbols. Do not use words or
names. Make the password for each banking
and shopping site unique. Keep your passwords
private.
1
7
2
8
Always have a good antivirus program installed
on your computer and update your antivirus
program and other software, such as the operating
system, whenever an update is available. When
in doubt, don’t click links, especially in emails
where phishing schemes are prevalent. But also
be careful when surfing the Web or visiting social
media websites.
Credit cards are generally the safest option
for shopping online. When using a credit card,
you have limited liability and the ability to have
the credit card company intervene if something
goes awry. Debit cards can also be a good choice as
long as you have investigated their liability limits,
which may be higher than those of credit cards.
Keep a paper trail. None of us has a perfect
memory. Print records of your online
transactions, including the name of the seller,
product description, price, and date of purchase.
Most reputable merchants allow you to print a
receipt after the transaction is complete. Use these
printed receipts to compare to your bank and credit
card statements.
Shop at trusted, established websites. Don’t use
sites you’ve never heard of. If you want to try
a new website, check to see if friends have used it
successfully.
3
Pay only through secure sites. Typically the
address in your browser will change from
“http:” to “https:” during a secure connection.
4
9
5
10
Monitor your bank accounts and credit card
purchases regularly. Report any discrepancies
or unusual charges to your financial institution
immediately.
Never email your credit card number, social
security number, or personal information to
anyone. No reputable seller will request it by email
since email is not secure.
Your social security number is the key to
your identity. Be miserly about sharing
it with anyone, especially online. No reputable
Do your banking and shopping from home
where you are on your own secure network.
Wi-Fi hotspots at local coffee shops and other
Feb. 2015 (10 tips, cont. on page 10)
9 www. ggcs.org
Both cartoons available for non-commerical use.
10 tips, cont. from page 9
merchant will ever ask for your social security
number to make a purchase.
Credit card theft is easy to get through. Notify your
financial institution and they issue you a new card.
Most cards don’t even make you liable for the first
$50 charged any more.
Identity theft is difficult, though, because a thief
can open lines of credit in your name, buy a car,
and obtain new credit cards. To steal your identity,
the thief needs personal information such as your
social security number, address, phone number,
and financial information. Be careful when giving
out such information.
Many financial experts say that having your
bills sent to you electronically and paying them
electronically is safer than sending and receiving
them by mail. They also recommend shredding
paper documents with
personal information.
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So whether you use a credit
card at a physical store, you
shop and pay bills online,
or you pay bills by mail, the
key word is “caution.” Our
mothers taught us to watch
our wallets and keep the doors
closed. Now we have a lot more
convenience and also a lot
more to watch out for.
—By Sandy Berger,
CompuKISS, www.compukiss.
com, [email protected]
www. ggcs.org
Sign up for weekly
GGCS announcements
Sign up to receive the weekly email of
announcements of GGCS meetings in your
Inbox each Friday. Go to www.ggcs.org and
click “Join our mailing list.” Fill in your email
address and click OK.
Wanted: Your letters to the editor
L
ike or dislike an article? Let us know. Have
something to add to an article? Send it in! Have
a tech question? Ask us…we’ll send it to a GGCS
guru to answer by email and publish the question
and answer in the next newsletter.
Want us to provide articles of special interest?
Share your views with other members. In short,
let’s make GGCS Newsletter a two-way connection.
From us to you and from you to us! Email editor@
ggcs.org.
—The Newsletter Team
Feb. 2015 Google Applications Class
at the Tiburon Library
O
ur own webmaster Tom Schiff will be teaching
a two-class series at the Tiburon Library on
Wednesday, March 4, and Wednesday, March 11,
7:30 to 9:00 p.m., at the Tiburon Library.
Google is getting in the productivity software
business in a big way now, and some compelling
reasons exist to switch from Microsoft Office
including but not limited to the fact that for
private use the Google products are free.
Subjects covered will be the fine points of Google
Mail Application, Google Drive, Google Sheets
(Google’s spreadsheets), and Google Calendar.
This will be a hands-on learning experience,
so bring your laptop if you can; the library will
provide some computers. Contact Joan Garrett
Senior Reference Librarian at 415 789-2653.
11 www. ggcs.org
Come to Special Interest Groups (SIG) to learn
See calendar on page 13 for SIG meeting dates. SIGs
meet in the GGCS classroom, unless otherwise noted.
See pages 10 and 14 for directions to the GGCS classroom. The classroom location changed July 2014.
Beginning Seniors SIG: Al Springstead, 250-3808.
For true beginners. When seniors buy or receive a
computer, we’re here to help. Meets fourth Thursday
of the month at 1:30 pm., except November.
Collecting Interest Group: Ron Matteri, 454-0714, [email protected]. If you have a collection, any kind
of collection from stamps to Beatles memorabilia,
learn how to use either Apple’s Keynote or Microsoft’s
Powerpoint to add a new dimension to your collecting
interest. Also: all collectors of stamps, stamped envelopes (covers), and postcards, can learn to recognize
what you have and assess values. Classroom meets
fourth Thursday of the month at 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.,
except November.
Compu-Class SIG: Russ Flaum, 897-1017, russ@ggcs.
org. To become more computer-literate, attend our
daytime classes. Meets first Wednesday of the month
at 1:30 p.m.
Digital Camera SIG: Russ Flaum, 897-1017, russ@
ggcs.org. This group compares features of digital and
various other cameras. The group also holds field
trips. Work involves transferring images to computers and editing them. Meets third Wednesday of the
month at 1:30 p.m.
Google Services SIG: Paul Bell, 456-5219, sfpaulsf@
gmail.com. This group explores Google services, how
they work, and helps people become proficient with
them. It also explores Google+, which is not only a
social networking service but a social layer existing
on top of all Google services. Meets first Tuesday of
the month 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Hardware SIG: Steve Traiger, 453-2525. If your fin-
gers itch to get inside your computer, but your blood
runs cold at the thought of the damage you might do,
this SIG is for you. Meets second Wednesday of each
month at 7 p.m.
Internet and More SIG: Karen Stagg, 897-6824.This
revitalized SIG helps members with more than just
Internet concerns. Meets third Wednesday of the
month at 7 p.m. (January to March).
Intro to Computing Class: John King, 472-7035,
[email protected]. Eight classes rotate monthly with
lots of time for questions. Meets fourth Monday of the
month before the General Meeting at 6 p.m.
Quicken SIG: Babette Bloch, 388-3864, Babette@ggcs.
org. The Quicken SIG is led by Babette Bloch and
Russ Flaum. Meets second Tuesday of the month at
11 a.m., except July and August.
School Support SIG: John Foote, 457-9645. This
group tests, repairs, and reconfigures donated PCs for
school classroom use on Saturdays at 10 a.m.
Tablet/Smartphones SIG: Babette Bloch, 388-3864, [email protected]. Held at Tiburon Library. Meets third
Friday of the month 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Wayne’s Computer Class: Wayne Johnson, 454-1590,
[email protected]. For all levels of beginners. Wayne provides Q&A and tips about computer
software and hardware. Meets second Monday of the
month 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Website Design SIG: Paul Bell, 456-5219, sfpaulsf@
gmail.com. Learn to design and maintain a website.
Meets third Tuesday of the month at 1:30 pm.
Windows 8 SIG: Ernie Ganas, 881-7401, ernie.ganas@
gmail.com; John King, 472-7035, [email protected].
This two-hour group (part presentation/part Q&A)
helps beginners and experts find their way using
Windows 8. Meets second Thurday of the month at
1:30 p.m. at the Microsoft store at The Village in
Corte Madera.
Start Your Own SIG: Email your suggestions to [email protected].
Feb. 2015 12 www. ggcs.org
Golden Gate Computer Society
Calendar of Events
For an up-to-the-minute calendar, see http://www.ggcs.org/calendar
Monday
Feb. 16
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Feb. 17
Feb. 18
1:30pm Website
Design SIG
1:30pm Digital
Camera SIG
7pm Internet &
More SIG
Feb. 24
Feb. 25
Feb. 26
6pm Intro to
Computing
7:15pm General
Meeting
1:30pm Beginning
Seniors SIG
3pm Collecting
Interest SIG
March 3
March 4
March 5
March 6
1:30pm Google
Services SIG
1:30pm Compu-Class
7:30pm Steering
Committee
8:30pm Presentations
Committee
March 9
March 10
March 11
March 12
March 13
6:30pm Wayne’s
Computer Class
11am Quicken SIG
7pm Hardware SIG
1:30pm Windows 8 SIG
@Microsoft store
March 16
March 17
March 18
March 19
Feb. 23
March 2
March 24
GENERAL MTG.
DAY & PLACE
changed for Feb. to
March 2015, see pg. 1
March 30
March 31
Feb. 20
11am Tablet/
Smartphone SIG
@ Tiburon Library
1:30pm Digital
Camera SIG
7pm Internet &
More SIG
1:30pm Website
Design SIG
March 23
Feb. 19
Friday
Feb. 27
March 20
11am Tablet/
Smartphone SIG
@ Tiburon Library
March 25
March 26
6pm Intro to
Computing
7:15pm General
Meeting
1:30pm Beginning
Seniors SIG
3pm Collecting
Interest SIG
April 1
April 2
March 27
April 3
1:30pm Compu-Class
7:30pm Steering
Committee
8:30pm Presentations
Committee
Feb. 2015 13 www. ggcs.org
Enjoy these member discounts
PEACHPIT PRESS—35% DISCOUNT. At www.
peachpit.com select book, create account, and
at Checkout Page, before entering credit card
number, enter user group code UE-23AA-PEUF
(case sensitive). If book also is available at Safari
Books online, you get free instant online access
for 45 days.
———————————
LEARN-iT 50% DISCOUNT on computer classes.
Available only through GGCS. Regular price $120;
GGCS price $60. Located in S.F. Financial District,
close to GG Transit stop & Ferry Terminal.
Details at www.ggcs.org/learnit.htm.
———————————
O’REILLY: 50% DISCOUNT ON E-BOOKS at www.
oreilly.com including Microsoft Press. 40% off
print books, including all labels purchased
directly from O’Reilly. Use code DSUG50 ordering
online or by phone at 800-998-9938. Free ground
shipping on orders over $29.95.
———————————
PEARSON & Q PUBLISHING 35% DISCOUNT on Addison
Wesley, Prentice Hall, Que, SAMS, CiscoPress, IBM
Press, kExam/Cram titles at Informit.com and
QPublishing.com. Create free account at www.
informit.com/join (same login & PW works at
www.quepublishing.com). Enter USERGROUP in
Optional Member Code line on form; Click “Create
My Account.” Enter code once at registration; it will
be applied whenever you order from either website
above. Multiple Purchase Discount Codes (Use them
at Step 3 of checkout): 2 Products—Save 40%: use
code IUG240; Digital Products—Save 45%: use code
IUGD45.
———————————
O’REILLY: 1 E-BOOK, GET 1 FREE When you buy
e-books through www.oreilly.com, you gain
lifetime access to the book, and, whenever
possible, you receive it in five DRM-free file
formats—PDF, ePub, Kindle compatible .mobi,
DAISY, and Android APK—to use on the devices
of your choice. Its e-book files are fully searchable
and you can cut, paste, and print them. You also
are alerted for files updated with corrections
and additions. Use discount code DSUG2 when
ordering online.
Feb. 2015 Info about our General Meetings
The Golden Gate Computer Society normally
meets (General Meeting) on the fourth Monday of
every month except in December, at the Sheraton
Four Points in San Rafael.
January through March 2015 GMs will be held the
fourth Wednesday of every month at the Sanctuary
of the First Presbyterian Church of San Rafael,
1510 5th Ave., San Rafael.
Meeting agenda consists of club business/announcements and an open question/answer session
during which attendees can make announcements
or ask for help or opinions, followed by the main
presentation and the monthly raffle.
Before meetings, raffle tickets are distributed to
members, memberships renewed, etc., and the
General Meeting begins promptly at 7:15 p.m.,
ending about 9:15 p.m.
For best seating and to allow time for new members
and visitors to register, please plan to arrive early.
Info about our classes and SIGs
Before every General Meeting, John King holds a
rotating series of eight Introduction to Computing
classes 6:00 to 7:15 p.m.
GGCS also holds Special Interest Group (SIG) meetings and classes. The SIGs are listed on page 12.
See the calendar on page 13 for SIG meeting days.
Most SIG meetings and classes are held at the
GGCS classroom. The GGCS classroom is in San
Rafael at 1510 5th Avenue.
Classroom Directions: To find the GGCS classroom,
go either to 1510 5th Avenue and walk through
the black gate and down the alley to the left of the
church, or to 1505 Mission Avenue, and then walk
down the outside steps and through the black gate.
Street parking is plentiful and a parking lot is
at Mission and E avenues. Parking is two-hour
metered east of E Street and free west of E Street.
Another large parking lot is two blocks west on
Mission that is free after 6 p.m.
14 www. ggcs.org
Board, steering, and club committees
The GGCS Steering Committee generally meets on
the first Wednesday of every month at the classroom
(see www.ggcs.org for details). All are encouraged to
attend and participate in discussions. The Presen-
Officers
President
Steve Traiger [B]........................ 453-2525
Vice-President
Russ Flaum [B]............................ 897-1017
[email protected]
Secretary
Heinz Scheuenstuhl [B].......... 990-2097
[email protected]
Treasurer
Shirley Kosciusko...................... 435-0650
SIG Leaders
Beginning Seniors SIG
Al Springstead [B]..................... 250-3808
Collecting Interest Group
Ron Matteri [S]........................... 454-0714
Compu-Class SIG
Russ Flaum [B]............................ 897-1017
Digital Camera SIG
Russ Flaum [B]............................ 897-1017
Hardware SIG
Steve Traiger [B]........................ 453-2525
Internet and More SIG
Karen Stagg [B].......................... 897-6824
tations Committee meets immediately after the
Steering Committee. All telephone numbers below
are in the 415 area code, unless otherwise noted.
Google Services SIG
Paul Bell ....................................... 456-5219
Quicken SIG
Babette Bloch [S]...................... 388-3864
Russ Flaum [B]............................ 897-1017
Table/Smartphone SIG
Babette Bloch [S]...................... 388-3864
Wayne’s Computer Class
Wayne Johnson ........................ 454-1590
Website Design SIG
Paul Bell ....................................... 456-5219
Windows 8 SIG
Ernie Ganas ................................ 881-7401
John King ................................... 472-7035
Committees
Newsletter
Babette Bloch [S]...................... 388-3864
Russ Flaum [B]............................ 897-1017
Mike Hancock [B]...................... 381-4772
Chris Johnson............................ 454-1590
[email protected]
Joe Lavigne [B].......................... 435-5245
[email protected]
Cathy Schieser........................... 332-4751
Steve Shank [B] ......................... 383-4800
Presentations
Presentations............................. 454-5556
[email protected]
Feb. 2015 15 Services
Advertising
Mike Hancock [B]...................... 381-4772
[email protected]
Audio Visual
Chip Sari....................................... 472-1547
Book and Software Reviews
Babette Bloch [S]...................... 388-3864
Membership
Heinz Scheuenstuhl [B].......... 990-2097
Al Springstead [B]..................... 250-3808
School Support Program
John Foote [B]............................ 457-9645
Procurement
Steve Shank [B].......................... 383-4800
Board & Steering (not listed otherwise)
Barbara Hansen [B] ................. 332-1720
Bud Larsh [S]....................(510) 724-1202
Marcelino Nogueiro [B].......... 877-1419
Michele Scott [S]
Volunteer Coordinator
Jeff Mulanax [B]......................... 459-3278
Web Master
Tom [email protected]
[B]=Member of the GGCS Board of Directors and
Steering Committee
[S]=Member of the GGCS Steering Committee
www. ggcs.org
GOLDEN GATE COMPUTER SOCIETY
Feb. 2015 Vol. 34, No. 2
PERIODICALS
www.ggcs.org
Published Monthly
Golden Gate Computer Society, Inc. / P.O. Box 151696 / San Rafael, CA 94915-1696
Annual advertising rates:
$60 per 1/8 page (credit card size)
$114 per 1/4 page (5% disc.)
$216 per 1/2 page (10% disc.)
Feb. 2015 Advertising Mgr: Mike Hancock,
[email protected]
16 www. ggcs.org